Energy storage systems (e.g., battery energy storage systems) have become increasingly used to deliver power either as part of standalone energy storage systems or as part of power generation systems (e.g., a wind farm, solar farm, gas turbine system) with an integrated energy storage system. Energy storage systems are unique in that energy storage systems have the ability to both deliver and reserve energy for particular services. Energy storage systems can include one or more battery banks that can be coupled to the grid or other load via a suitable power converter.
An individual battery can include battery strings connected in parallel and each string can include battery storage cells connected in series. One common failure effect for cells is to fail short. When a cell fails short, the remainder of the string can continue to operate but at a lower voltage than other parallel strings without cell failure. Such voltage differences can result in overvoltage, decreased cell life, and reduced usable electric charge.